Sandy’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2015)

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m finally trying to finish (listening to) Bleak House by Dickens. I’ve started the audiobook several times over the last several years, usually during hospital stays, and it worked w..."

I started Bleak House on audio at the beginning of the summer and was enjoying it but other stuff got in the way. I hope to return sometime, but would have to revisit much of what I've read. Early congrats on completing.

Abigail wrote: "I’d say it was a mystery, Jackie, but glad to hear you’re enjoying it! I believe the author has now published at least two more in the series."

Actually book 7 is due out very soon and I'm on my library's wait list. I really like the series. From what I remember the author had to deviate from actual history as the books progress and less is known about our hero (or her life got dull). I believe the author tells you at the end what is true and what she invented.

It is barely a mystery though I believe at least the first one is filed as such.

Also posted on our White Swan thread:

Reading the following article on CrimeReads

https://crimereads.com/luxury-hotels-...

I 'discovered' a Christie memoir recently (2000's) published by her grandson, The Grand Tour: Letters and Photographs from the British Empire Expedition 1922. I've requested it from the library.

I will also post this under the Christie thread.

Reading the following article on CrimeReads

https://crimereads.com/luxury-hotels-...

I 'discovered' a Christie memoir recently (2000's) published by her grandson, The Grand Tour: Letters and Photographs from the British Empire Expedition 1922. I've requested it from the library.

I will also post this under the Christie thread.

I've finished and remembered the murderer correctly, but not the final twist. I didn't think about it at the time but leaving Brenda and Lawrence temporarily in jail and permanently under suspicion of murder was incredibly mean and selfish. I hope Charles' father quietly had them released and cleared. (Sometimes I make up my own endings. The author's book has ended and I continue the story as I want.)

I have The Madness of Crowds, the latest book in Penny's Three Pines series. So excited, and surprised I moved to the top this quickly. I suppose the library got many copies.

I will be reading it after I finish Crooked House and before our mid-month reads. Fingerpost is going to be very late!

I have finally started this. I want to listen to the book (Hugh Fraser!) and audio hasn't been convenient lately. It is a reread and I remember the romantic leads quite well. I think I've remembered murderer as the characters are introduced. Now to look for clues I missed on my first read. I expect I will miss them this time as well.

Old Filth is wonderful.

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Rosina wrote: "I am going to nominate the first of three Inspector Wilkins mysteries, set in the 1930s, though written between 1970 and 2003!

[bookcover:The Affair of the Blood-Stain..."

This case is even worse: its a very large paperback taking up room on a physical shelf. The electronic purchases are impossible to remember.

Hope you can find time to read your Christie's Faith.

Rosina wrote: "I am going to nominate the first of three Inspector Wilkins mysteries, set in the 1930s, though written between 1970 and 2003!

: "The th..."

I bought a three volume omnibus of this series five years ago and would love to be 'forced' to read one.

I quite enjoyed this book despite its 'plodding' nature.

My review (with apologies to P D James but I thought of Dalglish when French interacted with his co-workers).

An interesting mystery as we trail behind Inspector French as he follows the clues through many twists and turns, bouncing back and forth between the coasts of Britain and France. The comradery between the policemen, both British and French, is one of the pluses of the book (and contrasts with P D James's detectives who weren't allowed a sense of humor). I expect Crofts' view of the men who need to work together, often under pressure, is more realistic. The book begins and ends on exciting high notes, but the majority is a basic police procedural as they trace leads, usually successfully but often to dead ends.

I also suspected each character in turn. And the war time setting made it a bit more mysterious.

Tara wrote: "I think there is an element of fantasy to these books. In reality, someone traveling to a foreign country with no money and no plans, particularly a single young woman, would probably end up on the..."

I agree that Christie was probably aiming for plausible, or possible, rather than realistic.

I'm half done and while I like the book, plodding is a good description. There is another half to go but I feel it should be wrapped up soon. Evidently I'm wrong. Still I'm not bored and happy to be plodding along with French.

Rosina wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am listening to An Instance of the Fingerpost on Audible, Sandy and enjoying it so far."

I hope you have the unabridged version, with four separate readers. The abridged version is..."

I only see the abridged version available on Audible in the US. It is 5+ hours which is shorter than most Christies.

Gary, sorry you lost your father but your memories of him remain and they sound like good memories. My father also read to me at night and I still think of him when I remember those books (and how he complained if I asked for the same few over and over).

Susan wrote: "I am listening to An Instance of the Fingerpost on Audible, Sandy and enjoying it so far."

Oh, a fourth version! I'll check my libraries.

I've started Mystery in the Channel, so far so good, and finished Love and Death Among the Cheetahs, so I'm nearly current in that series.

I've taken An Instance of the Fingerpost out of the library as I could not possibly cope with the tiny print version I own. It is big! I may need to move to a third version and find an electronic copy.

Susan wrote: "Free
Fortune Favours the Dead (book 1)"

I read and enjoyed this. My short review:

I thought this a great homage to the Nero Wolfe / Archie Goodwin relationship with two very interesting women detectives. Hoping to visit with both of them again.